News in Brief

A Cornish domestic violence victim recounted, in a Plymouth Herald interview, how her eight-year-old son’s actions led to her boyfriend being jailed. After yet another attack left her battered and with broken teeth, the youngster dialled 999 thinking his mum had been killed. The justice system then took its course and the attacker was jailed for 26 weeks, issued with a two-year restraining order and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation.

A Hertfordshire man was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm against his wife, who had been living in fear of violence throughout their 47-year marriage. His violence came to light after she was treated for a broken hip, sustained when he attacked her during an argument about crumbs left on a table. A police spokesman said: “She had spent much of her married life covering up the evidence of his actions because of the shame she felt about her abusive marriage.”

An exhibition entitled Souls of our Shoes and featuring 104 pairs of shoes was held in Louth, Lincolnshire, in February to support victims of domestic abuse. The figure represents the average number of women killed each year by their partner or ex-partner in Britain.

Two members of West Midlands police’s domestic abuse intervention and prevention team dipped into their own pockets to buy food for a hungry and penniless domestic violence survivor. One of the pair, PC Zoe Williams, said: “Making a difference to people’s lives is real policing.”

A 13-year-old girl from The Wirral was given a gift card by Cheshire Police for helping a victim of domestic violence. The girl saw a woman sat on her doorstep upset and bleeding from a head wound, asked what had happened and was told that the woman’s boyfriend had thrown a mug at her and thrown her out of the house with some belongings. The girl called the police and ambulance services, and tended to the wound while waiting for them to arrive.

In Australia, MP Adam Bandt has tabled a private members’ bill which proposes workers should be given ten days’ paid leave if they are victims of domestic violence so they can take action and leave their abuser. Some major companies in the country already grant such leave.

Domestic violence came to haunt the White House. Two aides of Donald Trump resigned amid claims they had attacked their wives, allegations they deny. After initially tweeting “People’s lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation”, the President later said: “I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind.” He has attracted a lot of criticism about his handling of the matter.

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NCDV Mag

The NCDV magazine is published to bring together a vast array of news that is published on a monthly basis but is scattered around the internet. We focus on domestic abuse and violence stories but occasionally we will bring you personal stories from individual survivors demonstrating the enormous strength they have discovered and the incredible journey they have taken.